Heroes of Olympus - Epilogue
by KittenInAWindow
Summary: What happens after the war with Gaea.


**I wrote this before Blood of Olympus came out and I just found it again. So if certain things are not accurate to Rick Riordan's masterpiece, I'm sorry but I still really like it.**

Percy

(2 years later)

Percy breathed in, reveling in the peace of the forest and the slight taint of sea air. Beside him Annabeth squeezed his hand and smiled at him.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked leaning closer to him.

Her hair smelled like lemon, _probably her shampoo_ he thought. He liked the fact that she had more time to do things like washing her hair now that the war with Gaea was won. He remembered a time nearly two years ago when her hair, dirty with the dust and blood of demons, blew behind her as they stood up to Gaea for the final time. He had been so proud of her. He still was. They had lost many in the fight with Gaea. Friends and enemies alike had fallen in drowns. But they had gotten out alive, as had Nico and the rest of the seven.

But since that time, there had only been small monster attacks. Nothing the demi-gods couldn't handle. It was amazing to Percy that he had graduated High School and was now helping Chiron teach new campers. Peace. It was something he had never even imagined could be possible. His whole life as a hero had been filled with war and death.

" Just about how glad I am we survived," he said sliding his arm around her waist. "How it was against all odds, but here we are. Alive, in the woods of Camp Half-Blood."

She grinned. "It is against all odds. You were almost a guinea pig for the duration of your life!"

"Yeah, but you saved me so..."

"Uh-huh, I saved your butt Seaweed Brain." she said with a mischievous grin. Percy responded with a smile of his own. Some things never change. Changing topics Annabeth said, "Have you heard from Hazel and Frank lately?"

"Yeah, they Iris messaged me this morning. They are really happy a Camp Jupiter. But they said we have to visit soon." Since the end of the war demigods had traveled peacefully from camp to camp. No more of the rivalry. They were all demi-gods anyway.

"And Piper, Jason and Leo?"

"They just finished up Senior year and are coming sometime this week."

"Good, I really miss them. It feel like forever since we've had to prepare for a war with them!" she replied jokingly. More seriously she said, " And Nico?'

Percy seemed uncomfortable, "Well, you know that he said we might not hear for a while." Before the big battle that ended the war, Nico had come out about who he was and how he felt. Though all of his friends had accepted him, there were still those who didn't. After the war he had smiled a crooked sad smile and told them they wouldn't' see him for a while. "I have heard of a young dark haired demigod who travels around attacking monsters and keeping people safe. There is no one else it could be."

Annabeth sighed and turned back towards the cabins. It was getting late. "I'm glad he's found a purpose, but I wish he would check in more."

Percy took her hand as they slowly walked towards the cabins, "Yeah me too."

At the edge of the forest, Percy stopped. "DId you hear something?" He whispered, pulling out his lethal ball point pen.

Annabeth was alert now too. "I thought I was hearing things but it definitely sounded like we were being followed." she whispered back. "Keep walking then catch them unawares."

"Got it," he whispered back before continueing the small talk they were having before. About 20 paces later Percy turned around quick and and had his sword point at the throat of, "Nico?!"

"You know it," he said grinning and batting away Percy's sword point. He was older with a light in his eyes that hadn't been there before. When he had smiled, there was no pain or sadness like there had been since his sister died.

"Oh my Gods, Nico!" Annabeth exclaimed and threw her arm around him. The strange part was that instead of going stiff until the hug was over like he would have two years ago, he hugged her back and actually smiled.

After Annabeth let him go, he turned towards Percy and extended his hand. Percy grinned at that, grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug, which Nico also accepted. "Don't get too friendly," said a voice form the trees. All three turned around, Nico with a grin that Percy had never seen him wear before, Percy and Annabeth with bewildered looks. A tall good looking boy walked out of the trees. _Not quite a boy_ Percy thought. _He must be about 16 or 17. Same age as Nico._

The boy walked up with an easy grin on his face at the bewildered looks on their faces. He held out his hand, "Hey, My name is Andrew. I'm a son of Apollo and Nico's...

He let that hang as if unsure as to what he and Nico were. Andrew glanced toward Nico questioningly. Percy was as confused as ever. He glanced at Annabeth to see that she was grinning. Obviously she had gotten something he hadn't, like always.

It was at that moment that Nico seemed to make a decision. He stood up straighter and said as if finishing Andrew's sentence, "boyfriend." Andrew grinned again as Nico reached his hand over and twined their fingers.

 _Ooh..._ thought Percy. Looking back on it, it had been obvious from the get go. The smile that he had never seen him wear before, the obvious connection between the two of them. Now he knew why Annabeth had been smiling.

"Wow," exclaimed Annabeth grinning all the more. "Nico that's amazing! And ANdrew really nice to meet you! I'm Annabeth and this is Percy she said motioning to him. Well he will be normal Percy in a second. It takes him a sec to comprehend new information." she explained, a laugh in her voice. Andrew laughed but Nico looked worried.

Percy snapped out of his "processing information" zone and looked right into Nico's eyes, which didn't look so dark and empty as they had two years ago, and said with everything in him, "I'm really happy for you Nico."

Nico looked relieved and his eyes seemed to say _Thank you for accepting me._

Percy grinned and Annabeth asked, "So how did you meet?"

Percy vaguely heard Andrew launch into story about getting attacked by a monster and falling, "And I would have died but then this guy came in with is kick butt Son of Hades power and that monster went straight down to Tartarus. Then he reached out to help me up and I immediately recognized him because what demi-god hasn't heard of Nico DiAngelo? One of the main heroes of the two biggest wars since the trojan horse, I mean come on!" He said all of this gesturing and making exaggerated motion of fighting and the rest.

 _He must be good for Nico,_ Percy thought smiling. _His crazy outgoing personality would balance out Nico's sullen one._

"And he just kept trying to get rid of of me. And I was like, "Dude, no way! You saved my life! I have to make it up to you." And you guys know Nico. He groaned and mumbled and didn't give me anything in the way of conversation. But, Andrew said with an open grin towards Nico, "He warmed up to me."

"Slowly," Nico said with a grin that Percy hadn't seen since he was 10 and talking his ear off about Myth o' Magic.

Andrew ruffled his hair and Nico tried to duck away but he wasn't fast enough. Percy glanced at Annabeth who had moved closer for the story. She was smiling in that full face way that made her eyes sparkle.

"But anyway," Andrew said continuing, slinging an arm around Nico's shoulder, "A week or so ago, Nico mentioned some friends he should check in on. And I was like, "Who, man?" And he was like have you heard of Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase? Seaweed Brain And Wise Girl? Who doesn't know you guys? Honestly!" Both blushed at the use of their nicknames, but Andrew didn't seem to notice. "So we started up. We'd already gone to Camp Jupiter to see Nico's sister but I think I'll like Camp Half-Blood better. I am Greek but there are other reasons. They seem really up tight there. You know what I mean?"

"Yep," Percy agreed reaching for Annabeth's hand. "I know exactly what you mean. But hey, do you guys want to go up the Big House? Chiron will be thrilled to see you Nico!"

"Yeah," Nico said smiling and grabbing Andrew's hand. "I'm ready to be home."

 **Hope you liked it, please review!**


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